


It Does Matter

by SonicTitanic23



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Octo Expansion, Poor Agent 8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-25 04:51:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14969495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicTitanic23/pseuds/SonicTitanic23
Summary: Agent 8 comes back to the train after another long challenge. This one finally takes it's toll on her and begins to snap despite the support of her new found friends.





	It Does Matter

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This fic is based of the amazing fan comic done by puffyartist on Tumblr. Please check their comic out and their other work. They are great. Anyway I hope you and Puffy enjoy this!

**It Does Matter**

Slowly but surely, Agent 8 makes her way towards the train. Clutching a new Mem Cake in her hands and walking past the conductor and began to bored the train. 

"Where to ma'am?" asked the sea slug. Agent 8 eyed him with eyes of anger, knowing what he could have done to her during this particular challenge. She had to take down a number of her fellow Octolings while protecting a power core. The idea that she is fighting those who she once called her family and friends has been really taking a toll on her. Shaking her head, she came back to the real world.

"I want to rest for a bit before the next station. Please?" she asked. The slug seemed to nod had her request and walked inside, with Agent 8 following him. Once she entered the train, it began to move along the tracks. The compartment was completely empty which was unusual, but welcoming at this time. 8 began to move as she thought back to the challenge she had to do. Had she really pushed herself to almost kill herself just to get to the so called "Promise Land". Will it be possible? Or better yet......is it even worth it? From what she has been told so far, there isn't any Octolings in the city at all besides Marina of Off the Hook. And even then it seems no one notices that she's an Octoling herself somehow. But for 8, will it be the same? Will she be welcomed? She came to a conclusion.

"Conductor?! Bring me to the next station please!" she shouted. She needed to do more challenges. To make herself worthy of being able to go to the Promise Land. The train made a hard stop at the next station. Before getting off, Cuttlefish made his way from the other compartment to meet with the young agent.

"You sure you wanna do this right now after the last challenge? Don't you want at least a few hours for a break or something?" 8 looked at him and considered his offer, but quickly dismissed it.

"I'm fine sir. It's just another challenge. I'll be fine." she said exiting the train and onto the challenge. With her weapon selected, she saw the amount of money she'd need to beat the challenge, which amounted to three thousand coins. With her jaw almost hitting the floor, she looked at the amount she had and it was nine thousand, enough for at least three tries. She let out a heavy sigh and payed up, entering the challenge. The challenge itself was a battle with a tougher version of one of the Octarian Weapons. Despite the advice from Cuttlefish, Pearl and Marina, 8 toned them out and focused on the boss. The boss was surrounded by other Octarians and they almost destroyed  her, and they did. Not once, or twice, but all her tried from the start to her last life on her final pay. Over the radio, she heard Pearl and Marina.

"Hey, if you want to skip this challenge, give us a call okay?" said Marina.

8 was tired, battered and and torn but needed to prove herself. With one last pushed, 8 charged at the weapon and shouted "I AM FINE!" and lay down the weapon. With an explosion, the weapon was finished. 8 collected her Mem Cake and money and entered the train again without a word. Almost covered in the greenish ink, panting heavily and with her eyes closed, 8 leaned on one of the poles and began to think again. Is any of this worth it? Can she actually do anymore of these challenges? Will she feel like cheating just asking for Pearl and Marina to skip the challenge? All these questions built up in her mind and it was getting worse by the second. Cuttlefish entered and sat on one of the seats.

"That was some fight kiddo. You really put your all in at the final moment!" he said smiling. 8 grunted and went back to thinking. The radio went off again.

"Hey, you seem to be having some trouble. want me to help?" asked Marina. 8 gripped the pole and her face began to go from indifference to pure anger.

"No.........." she said with a growl.

"Are you sure? You'll run out of cash at this rate." chimed in Pearl. Gripping even tighter at the pole, 8's teeth began to show with more fury.

"I am **NOT** going to **CHEAT** **!** " she hissed back at the pop stars. Cuttlefish saw her anger and attempted to calm her down.

"As long as we get back to the surface, does it really matter how we get there?" he asked. 8 had just about had it now.

"IT **DOES** MATTER!" she shouted turning to Cuttlefish, startling him and the others on the radio. "I need to pass these test to be **GOOD ENOUGH** to get to the **PROMISED LAND!** I need to be **GOOD ENOUGH** to stand on my **OWN!** Because when I get there, I'm going to have to survive on my own. I'M GONNA BE **COMPLETELY ALONE!** " she let out finally as the tears she's been building up for a while finally began to flow down from her face with no signs of stopping. She knew in her own heart that everything she was aiming for was pointless in the end. Suddenly, she felt a hand on hers. She looked up to see Cuttlefish looking at her with eyes of comfort.

"Agent 8, you're not going to be alone." he said to her in a calm and collected voice. She begins to wheeze and cough, feeling a lump in her throat as well as she took in what the old man said.

"Y-You don't know that. You said Inklings hated Octolings." she coughed out. Cuttlefish winced at his comment from a while back and looked at her again.

"I don't mean that. Between you and Marina, I can safely say that you won't be hated above there. I see a young lady no different that any Inkling I've met. You'll fit perfectly in the city, so don't you worry." She felt the tears coming again and she pulled the old man into a hug. "There there, it's going to be alright." he said calmly and began to pat her back. When they finally ended the hug, there was a sound on the radio, sounded like sobs.

"Agent 8!!! You're not going to be alone when you arrive!" shouted Marina as loud as she could.

"YEAH! You'll have us!" conformed Pearl.

"You can crash on my couch!"

"I can spot you cash to start with!"

"Inklings are really nice! I promise you'll make friends really fast!"

"I'll beat up anyone who's mean to you!"

The comments kept coming and 8, for the first time since the start of this journey, felt truly happy. She had tones of support on her side and the fact that she'll be welcomed made her more happy. She decided to take a rest from the challenges for now and have a small nap on Cuttlefish's lap. While she was doing that, she began to realize that everything she's been doing is worth it. That she really does matter.

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> Well how was that eh? Hope you enjoyed it. Remember to check out puffyartist on Tumblr to check out the original fan comic this is based off. Comments of any nature are welcomed and as always, I'll see you next time. Cheerio!


End file.
